Family Ties
by CrazyMuffinAssassin
Summary: Family is important. Family will be there for you when you rise. Family will be there for you when you fall. Family will be there for you against all odds, and you can't live without family. Sequel to Skies Are Blue and All's Fair in Love and War (read those first).
1. Chapter 1: A Fresh Start

Here it is, the long-awaited next generation story that every series needs. I hope you guys enjoy it. I've been working on these characters for a long time.

Disclaimer: Sonic and Co. belong to SEGA. Sky and every other non-canon, original character belong to me, and me alone.

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"You're feeling all right, aren't you?" Shadow the Hedgehog asks nervously, glancing at his very pregnant silver-and-black mate, who is struggling with a package of marshmallows. She's been wolfing down whatever food she can get her hands on. "Do you need me to get anything for you?"

Skylar the Hedgehog glares at him and then at their three-year-old daughter, who just comes through banging on a pot with a spoon and singing loudly. "You want to help me? Get _her_ out of my house," she grouches, stuffing about four marshmallows into her mouth.

Shadow scoops up the toddler, who drops the pot and spoon and wraps her arms around her father's neck happily, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. The little girl is the happiest Shadow has ever known anyone to be, always smiling and singing. _Alyson_. Shadow had demanded that they name her after the little girl he had helped so long ago, wanting to keep her memory alive. Her fur is a soft white with gray ears that fade into black at the tips. Her eyes are bluish-green, a mixture of her mother's and her biological father's. Where she got her cheerful nature from, nobody knows.

Her biological father is Frost, Sky's former insane best friend. He was infatuated with her, and even pressured her to have sex with him, resulting in Alyson's subsequent birth. Shadow made the decision to never tell the little girl what happened, that her father is actually in prison for destroying her mother's house and actually (no matter how temporary) killing his own mother. Alyson doesn't need to know all of that. As far as she's concerned, Shadow is her father.

"Come on, Aly," Shadow murmurs to the little girl in his arms, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Let's go visit Grandpa."

"Bring me back a bag of caramels. Just caramels," Sky calls to them on their way out. "I love you!" Sky's eight months pregnant. With triplets. Yes, triplets. The pregnancy is taking its toll on Sky's tiny body, and she's made her permanent home in her bed over a month ago, with weekly check-ups from Terry, one of the healers that travelled back in time just to take care of her friend.

Shadow and Sky made the decision to go back to Shadow's time before Alyson was born, figuring that it would be much better to raise their children where it wasn't still covered in ash. Because Tails and Sky perfected the portal technology, it is a lot easier to travel back and forth between the two times, meaning that they could visit Sky's family whenever they want to. Boston and Cloud, Sky's father and Frost's mother, officially moved in together after Frost was incarcerated, so they could keep a better eye on each other. Boston retired from his duties in the army, with Sky's step-father, Thunder, assuming his role. Silver and Blaze still live comfortably at the Palace, having had their first child a year after Alyson was born, a son named Ryder. They visit regularly, often planning play-dates between the two children.

Shadow carries his daughter on his shoulders, holding her ankles to steady her. The child taps on his head with her little hands rhythmically, humming a tuneless song. "Are we gonna get ice cream?" she squeaks sweetly, leaning over to look at Shadow in the eyes.

"On the way back," Shadow promises, eliciting excited clapping from his daughter.

"Yay!" she giggles before lying across his head. "Is Mommy mad at me?"

"Oh, no," Shadow says as they come up to Sonic's door. Because Tails used to live with the Blue Blur, the portal just stays there, in the backyard, since it is too difficult to transport anywhere else. "The babies are just troubling her, that's all." Shadow knocks on the door, and Sonic opens, his own daughter, Breeze, resting on his head between his ears. He and Amy finally mated, ironically hooking up after the double wedding. Breeze was born around the same time as Ryder, and she's the spitting image of her father, blue and all. She lifts her head and smiles at the sight of Shadow and Alyson, who beams upon seeing her.

"Breezy!" she gasps, reaching out to pat the tiny blue hedgehog. Breeze laughs in response.

"Hi, Aly!" she giggles, rapping her hands on her father's head. "You come to play?"

"Can we use the portal?" Shadow mutters to Sonic. "The one at our place is down again, and Sky can't fix it."

"Yeah, totally," Sonic replies cheerfully. "Come on in." Shadow and Alyson follow him in, walking to the back of the house. "So, how is Sky doing?"

"She was a little… stressed out this morning," Shadow tells him. "And I swear she's eating me out of house and home. The boys are really giving her a hard time."

"Is she planning to go in early and have a C-section?" Amy asks, springing out of nowhere. Breeze squeals in excitement, reaching out towards her mother. Amy lifts her child from her mate's head and cuddles her daughter lovingly.

"She's going in next week. The doctor said her body wouldn't be able to handle birthing the three of them on her own," Shadow admits. He and Sonic have gotten significantly closer since Alyson was born, getting over his aversion to Sonic's carefree nature. Since he become a father, the blue hedgehog's done a ton of growing up.

"That sucks," Amy sighs, holding her daughter against her waist. "Have you two decorated already?"

Shadow nods. "She wanted the colors green and blue, for some odd reason, but she was completely turned off of anything dark-colored when she made the decision."

"How did that go for you?" Sonic snorts.

"Let's just say I couldn't be in the same room with her without her vomiting," Shadow growls, brushing past the couple and into their backyard. Shadow puts Alyson on the ground, ignoring her protests, and types in the coordinates for Sky's time, linking this portal with the one at the Palace. When the portal warms up, Shadow takes his daughter's hand and nods to Sonic and Amy. "Later."

After stepping through the portal, the two are greeted by Sky's old partner, Drew, a dark gray echidna with spectacles and a white stomach. "Good afternoon, Shadow! And Aly." He bends down to embrace the tiny hedgehog. "Here to visit Silver?"

"Boston, actually," Shadow corrects him, lifting his daughter back on his shoulders.

Drew nods and allows him to pass without saying anything else. Shadow makes his way out of the Palace-basement and through the front foyer, nodding to the servants as they pass by. Surprisingly, Silver doesn't pop up out of the blue, as he's notorious for doing when Shadow doesn't want to see him. When they reach Boston's house, that's when the silver hedgehog makes his appearance.

"Alyson!" Silver greets his niece cheerfully, taking her from her father's shoulders and hugging her tightly, causing her to giggle. "How is my little snowball?"

"Uncle Silvy!" Alyson nuzzles into his fluffy mane. "I missed you!"

"Missed me? I just saw you on Sunday!" He lowers the girl onto the floor while Shadow takes up his usual seat in the loveseat in the corner. Ryder slides off the couch cushions to join his cousin on the floor. They both rush over to the ancient toy box in the corner, dragging out the wooden building blocks. Boston watches his grandchildren with a smile.

"It's amazing how big they're getting," he purrs happily. "I can't believe that Aly is three already."

"Yeah, it's great," Shadow agrees. He looks around noticing that Cloud isn't there. "Where is Cloud?"

"Oh, she's going to get Aster. Vincent is doing rounds and Faith is training recruits. She's probably going to come back with him any minute now," Boston replies, picking at his harness lazily. He still wears it because it makes him feel as though he still has a purpose, even though he doesn't mount the sword on his back anymore. He glances at the door, as if anticipating his mate's arrival. He turns back to Shadow and smiles again. "How's my daughter? Almost ready?"

"She was a little irritated this morning, but otherwise she's fine. We're going to the hospital next week for the C-Section," Shadow tells him.

"Wow, so soon. I'll have to make sure that Cloud and I get there on time. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world." Boston sighs. "I just can't believe you're having triplets. Who knew she was capable?"

"She probably did it just because you would say stuff like that," Silver teases. "Remember when she was pregnant with Aly? You didn't think she was capable of walking, and she hadn't even gotten big yet."

"I just wanted to make sure she was safe. She's just so small, always has been. I didn't want her to have any unnecessary strain on her body," Boston mutters, his ears drooping. "Both of you are small, actually. You get that from Lorina. Blitz, too."

"How is Blitz anyway?" Shadow asks. The younger hedgehog moved to Crown City to be with Demy, one of the raccoon twins. They mated two years ago, and their first child, Casper, is almost a year old now. Cody went with them, and he and Lash are domestic partners, to everyone's surprise. The four of them run a bakery together.

"He's doing well. He called last week," Boston says. "He told me that he and Demy are going to try to make it with Cas for the birth, but he decided to stay until Casper's birthday, surprisingly."

"When is his birthday, again?" Silver asks.

"In about a month. The fifth of June," Boston replies. The door opens, revealing Cloud. Next to her is a silver echidna with auburn eyes, who huddles behind her legs upon seeing everyone else. He's rather tall for his age, inheriting his leggy physique from his father.

"C'mon, Aster, it's okay," Cloud urges, taking the child's hand and leading him forward. "Look! Ryder and Aly are here. Do you wanna go play?"

Aster steps forward shyly, kneeling down next to the other two children as Cloud perches on the arm of Boston's chair. She touches his central quill lightly and smiles at him, while Boston holds her steady around the waist.

"Get a room, you two," Silver teases, sticking his tongue out. "I still don't get why you two never got married."

"It's not necessary," Boston reminds him. "We're too old for all of that."

"I could ask the priest to perform a simple ceremony," Blaze offers. "I'm sure he'd be thrilled."

Cloud shakes her head. "Thank you, but we prefer things the way they are right now."

Silver checks his watch. "We'd better go. Blaze has to look at the recruits before sunset, and we all know how that goes when Faith is in charge."

"Oh, yes," Boston agrees. "I'll walk you out, son."

Silver scoops up his son, met with shrieks of protest. "C'mon, kiddo. Time to go home."

"I don't wanna, Daddy! I don't wanna!" Ryder cries, beating on his father's back with tiny fists. "I wanna stay here!"

"If you don't stop, you will go to bed without dessert," Silver warns as he carries him out into the foyer. Boston and Blaze follow close behind.

"But, _Daddy_!" Ryder whines before the door closes.

"It still amazes me that you kids are parents now," Cloud sighs, shaking her head. "I remember when Sky was still in diapers, and now she's going to have four kids? Unbelievable."

"Makes you feel old, doesn't it?" Boston rumbles, sitting back down. Aster and Alyson begin building a tower. "Grandchildren."

"I guess it would be different if my boys had children of their own. Flicker is still refusing to settle down. I'm worried about him."

"Don't be. He's still young. He'll find a nice girl to have a family with before you know it," Boston reminds her. "And Frost… well, that's not going to happen."

"I know, I know. But, Flicker is twenty-one now. Soon, he'll be too old for children, and I can't depend on Frost for anything," Cloud mutters half-bitterly. Boston rubs her back soothingly.

"Well, I know Sky thinks of you as her mother," Shadow says. "And you'll always be the kids' grandmother."

Cloud blushes. "Thank you, Shadow."

Alyson scrambles up on her father's lap then, her jaws stretching in a yawn. Shadow can't help but smile at the girl as she curls up. Aster continues playing with the blocks without looking up. "I think it's nap time," Shadow says quietly, standing up and carrying the smaller hedgehog against his hip. Alyson rests her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. "We'll see you later this week, right?"

"Oh, yes," Cloud answers, giving a smile. "I know Sky needs my help, and I'd be happy to."

"Thank you." Shadow nods at the older hedgehog. Boston follows him out to the front door, while Cloud offers to make Aster a sandwich.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Boston says. "Send a runner over if anything happens."

"I will," Shadow promises. Boston nods and closes the door behind him. Shadow takes Alyson back home, stopping at the corner store to pick up Sky's bag of caramels. When he reaches home, he puts Alyson in her room before heading to his bedroom. His mate is still lying in bed, the blankets strewn on the floor. She peers over her mountainous belly at Shadow, her eyes softening at the sight of him and the candy.

"You actually got them?" she purrs, reaching up to hug him around the neck as he bends to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Of course. That's what you wanted." Shadow climbs into bed with her, placing a hand on her belly and nuzzling into her neck. One of the babies kicks his hand, eliciting a moan from Sky.

"I swear, I'm as good as tenderized meat with these three," she sighs as Shadow traces a gentle circle on her stomach. "I have bruises on this side from one of them." She points to the left side. Shadow begins rubbing her fur in an attempt to soothe her pain. Sky sighs again and closes her eyes. "That's nice…"

Shadow leans over and kisses her stomach. "C'mon, guys, you'll be out soon, don't worry. Stop giving your mother such a hard time," he murmurs, resting his head against her. The baby on that side shifts, pressing his foot against Shadow's cheek. Sky makes a small noise.

"They really like you," she mutters. "They get really excited when you're around."

"Nah, they just like it when you're nice," Shadow teases, pressing his lips against hers. "They just want you to know that they approve."

"Yeah, sure," Sky mutters. She glances at Shadow's chest before looking back up at him. "Can I?" she asks sweetly.

Shadow rolls his eyes. "Of course. But, only for a few minutes. You're not as light as you used to be. I'm afraid you'll suffocate me."

Sky doesn't respond, but shifts so she can rest her cheek against her husband's fluffy chest fur. Shadow drapes an arm over her shoulders, resting his chin on the top of her head and breathing deeply. He never would've thought he would live a domestic life, let alone have children. But now, with his family, he's truly happy.

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Leave a review! Muffin out!


	2. Chapter 2: Children

Hey, guys! Sorry about my hiatus. Now that I'm done with school for the summer, I'll be updating more often.

Enjoy!

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Shadow sits at Sky's bedside, marveling at the infant in his arms and the two in hers. He's about bursting with pride at not only his children, but his wife who worked so hard to carry them and then birth them. The three babies are small, but healthy. They're identical, with black fur and gray stripes on their quills, tiny gray patches of chest fur, and stunning blue eyes. The first-born is Night, the second Ash, and the third Cinder. They are all only minutes apart. The nurses tied different-colored bands around the babies' ankles to make it easier to tell them apart. Shadow is holding Ash right now, and Alyson peers over his shoulder.

"All three of them are coming home with us?" she keeps asking, her eyes wide.

"Yes, dear," Sky answers weakly. "All three."

"That seems like a lotta work," Alyson mutters, hopping down from her perch and crossing her arms, going to sit in Lorina's lap. "I don't want three brothers."

"Well, that's what you get," Shadow tells her. "You're going to have to deal with it."

Boston places his hand on the black hedgehog's shoulder, kneeling down beside him. "Good job, Shadow. You've given me three healthy boys! I can't wait to train them… I'm going to teach them how to use the Chaos Blade, fight…"

"Daddy, there's no need for them to be trained," Sky reminds him. "Eggman hasn't attacked in years, and Sonic could handle it anyway." Boston frowns and lifts Night from his daughter's arms.

"But, that would be such a waste of good training." He pouts uncharacteristically, lifting the child and holding him up to his face. "I'm sure you would love to learn to fight, wouldn't you?" he coos, touching the baby's nose with his finger and making him sneeze. "This one is going to be a good fighter, aren't you, Cinder?"

"That one's Night, Dad," Sky corrects, rolling her eyes. "And we discussed this."

"_Honestly_," Lorina scolds, pushing Alyson off her lap and, ignoring the whimpering, stomps over to Boston. "Only you would think of training first." She takes Night from her ex-mate, cradling him in her arms lovingly. "Babies need love and care, first and foremost."

"If I recall, I gave most of the love and care," Boston growls, taking the tiny hedgehog away from her. "I raised them after all."

"Could you not?" Sky snaps, nodding at Terry to take the now-fussy babe away from the quarrelling grandparents. "If you can't get along, leave. I can't take you two when you're being this negative."

Lorina and Boston both look as though they're about to protest, but the look their daughter gives them makes them back down. The two, still bickering, exit the room, with Cloud following close behind, attempting to mediate.

"I swear, sometimes I feel like I'm their mother instead of their daughter," Sky grumbles, shifting Cinder closer to her chest. He latches on to suckle. Sky holds his head steady, making soft noises at him. "So, Terry, I'm clear to go home tomorrow morning, right?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, definitely. The babies look really healthy, so we don't have to watch them anymore." She smiles down at Night, who is comfortably sleeping in her arms. "They're gorgeous, Sky, really."

Pleasure rushes through Shadow at the young rabbit's words. His kids are beautiful. He cuddles Ash to his chest, and is met with a gentle purring as the tiny hedgehog burrows into his fur. "I love you," he whispers, kissing his child's forehead gently. "I love you and your mommy and your sister and your brothers."

Alyson finds her way back over and climbs on the bed next to her mother. "What's he doing?" she asks curiously, staring at Cinder as he feeds.

"He's eating," Sky explains with a smile. "You used to do this too, when you were a baby."

"Really?" Alyson screws up her face in disgust. "That's gross!"

"All babies do it. Your babies will do it."

Alyson sticks out her tongue. "No, they won't." She curls up next to her mother. Shadow watches his daughter out of the corner of his eye, worried that she'll rile the silver hedgehog up. Surprisingly, she goes straight to sleep. Terry, seeing that the entire family is suffering from the same tiredness, places Night in his respective crib.

"I'll leave you all to it. I have rounds to make," she says with a smile, bowing out of the room. The door clicks quietly behind her, leaving the family alone.

Cinder stops feeding and falls asleep in his mother's arms. Sky shifts him to one arm and drags his crib over to place him in. Shadow stands up and puts Ash in his own plastic crib. He reaches out to take Sky's hand, exhaustion sweeping over him as he gazes down at his children.

Sky collapses on her bed, praying that her children would rest long enough for her to get a quick nap. Shadow is working, and Alyson is at day care, so she has to take care of all three triplets on her own. If it's not one child, it's one of the others. Most of the time, they cry out of jealousy. Although, notably, it's usually Night and Cinder fighting for attention. Ash could care less. He usually sleeps through the commotion. And, when Shadow gets home, he'll just curl up on his father's chest fur and sleep some more.

Cinder is the most active of the three six-month-olds, often beating on the bars of his crib and crooning. Night usually responds by making a loud noise, maybe in an attempt to silence his younger brother. But, when that doesn't work, he cries, alerting his parents that Cinder didn't do what he wanted.

Sky has to hand it to her oldest daughter, though. Alyson is really trying to be helpful with the babies. The tired mother often finds her in the nursery, singing to her brothers, which they love. The three of them will clap with happiness at their sister, babbling and gurgling. Sky would sing to them as well, although she doesn't usually get the same reaction. Instead, she earns herself a giggle, and then they promptly fall asleep.

But, no matter how much they trouble her, Sky loves her children. She worked hard for them. Mobians typically don't have more than one offspring, unless the birth produces a set of multiples. The fact that Sky produced triplets was extremely rare.

Sky is just closing her eyes to sleep when a small whimper emits from the nursery. _Not now… please… _she begs silently. The whimpering persists, and the tired mother heaves herself from the bed to trudge to the other room. Surprisingly, Ash is crying. Night and Cinder are still sleeping peacefully, bundled together beneath the same blanket. Sky lifts the baby from the crib, holding him to her chest. Ash tries to burrow, but pouts upon finding that there's no fluffy patch to put his face in. He blinks up at his mother, his bright blue eyes tearfully reflecting his disappointment. Sky takes him into the living room and sits on the couch. She strokes the gray streak in the middle of his forehead, making him purr and gurgle with delight. He bats at the older hedgehog's hand, smiling widely and revealing his tiny fangs.

"Why do you let your brothers get all the attention, huh?" Sky murmurs, smiling down at her son. "You're just as cute and loveable as they are." She nuzzles his neck adoringly, licking his jaw gently. Sky tickles his belly, kissing his cheek and licking him behind the ears. Ash giggles happily, waving his arms excitedly. The front door opens, and Sky's husband walks through, with their daughter in tow. Alyson runs up excitedly.

"Mommy!" she greets her, kissing her cheek.

"Hi, sweetie, how was your day?" Sky kisses her daughter's cheek and then her husband's lips.

"Good. I learned how to make bracelets, see?" The little girl holds up her wrist, showing off an armful of bracelets.

"Very nice." Sky looks to her dark mate. "You?"

"Same old," Shadow answers, flopping down on the couch next to her. "Are the other two asleep?" He reaches over to stroke Ash under the chin. Ash reaches out to his father, and when he takes him, nuzzles into Shadow's chest fur.

Sky nods. "Surprisingly. I didn't know Ash was capable of staying awake for more than five minutes for feeding time."

"No kidding."

Alyson climbs up onto the couch, spreading herself over Sky's lap. She blinks up at her mother with limpid blue-green eyes. "Momma, can we have pizza tonight?" she begs.

Sky frowns down at her slightly, remembering the baked chicken and vegetables she already prepared. "Why? Don't you like what I cook?"

"We _never _have pizza," Alyson whines. "Whenever I go to Uncle Sonic and Aunt Amy's, we have pizza, and I like it."

"Pizza isn't good for you, my darling," Sky reminds her.

"But it tastes so good. How could it be bad?" Alyson drapes her arm over her eyes dramatically. "I _love _it, Momma." She turns over to look at her father, blinking at him with her famous Bambi-eyes. "Please, Daddy? Please?"

Sky looks at her husband over the girl's head, shaking her head, knowing that Shadow has a hard time resisting his daughter's gaze. He loves her so much, he would do anything for her.

"Well, your mother doesn't want to…" Shadow says slowly, shifting Ash to his other arm. Ash is sucking on his thumb, his eyes drooping "And, she's already cooked."

Alyson pokes out her bottom lip. "But I want pizza."

"Tomorrow, Aly. Tomorrow," Shadow promises, getting up and carrying Ash into the nursery. He returns empty-handed and settles down on the couch again. Alyson clambers onto his lap to snuggle into his stomach. Shadow strokes her quills, adoration in his eyes.

"Alyson Maria…" Sky sighs, running her fingers through her bangs. "I would think that Amy wouldn't even suggest pizza, let alone feed it to you. She's such a health nut."

"Obviously, it's Sonic's doing," Shadow mutters, wrapping his arms around the small white hedgehop and squeezing her tightly, making her squeal.

"Yeah, you're right," Sky mutters, leaning back and closing her eyes. She begins to doze off, falling into a deep sleep. She doesn't even feel her mate and daughter leave the couch. Thankfully, she doesn't dream, but rests peacefully. Shadow gently shakes her awake after a few hours.

"Wake up, my love," he murmurs, running his hand across her ear. "It's time to eat."

Sky opens her eyes, sticky with sleep, and sits up, stretching up with a yawn. "Okay. Thanks." Shadow presses his lips against hers, clearly hungry for her touch. "Mmm, are you okay?"

"When was the last time we spent any alone time together?" Shadow whispers. "I miss you."

"We haven't spent any type of time together since before the triplets were born, you know that," Sky answers with a laugh. "And, who would babysit these children for us to have a date?"

Shadow frowns. "Point taken." He helps his mate to her feet. "But you need a break. I want to take you out, like we used to." He nips at her ear gently, breathing in her scent. His arms coil around her waist, hands resting on her hips. "You smell… _intoxicating_."

"Oh, please, I probably smell like baby vomit and sweat."

"No, you smell nice, like vanilla."

"Speaking of vanilla, I made a cake," Sky tells him cheerfully, worming her way out of his grip and dragging him into the kitchen. Alyson is already seated in her chair, strumming on her tiny guitar and singing to her brothers, who are in their high chairs. Night and Cinder are giggling and clapping, while Ash is just watching in fascination. Shadow has laid out the food on the table, including the baby food. Shadow has a habit of doing things like this, feeling guilty for leaving Sky there alone while he's at work.

Sky sits down in front of the triplets, while Shadow ladles food on plates. Alyson puts down her guitar on the table.

"Not on the table, sweetie," Sky warns, unscrewing the cap off a jar of pureed carrots. Cinder slams his fists down on the table, shrieking loudly at the sight of food. Sky rolls her eyes at him. "Aren't you fat enough, little Cindie?" She sticks a baby spoon in the jar and feeds it to her youngest son.

"I wish you wouldn't call him that," Shadow sighs as Cinder smacks his lips, carrots dribbling down his chin. Shadow pulls up a chair next to her and begins feeding Night and Ash at the same time. Night doesn't have much of a taste for the sweet potatoes, as the couple finds out when he slaps the spoon out of his father's hand. Shadow frowns and takes the spoon to the sink.

"Night, you aren't old enough to have an opinion," Shadow scolds. Night just glares at him, pursing his lips. "C'mon. Eat the sweet potatoes." Night just clamps down on his father's hand. Shadow shakes him off with a frown. "What's the matter with you?"

"Just give him the carrots. Here," Sky tells him, trading the carrots for the potatoes. But, when she tries to feed it to Cinder, he spits it back out, making a face. "Oh? You don't like them either?"

"I don't like sweet potatoes either, Mommy," Alyson pipes up, her voice muffled by mashed potatoes. "They're gross."

Sky takes a deep breath, screwing the top back on the sweet potatoes. "Did Ash like them?"

"Hard to tell. I don't think his face can show disgust," Shadow replies with a small smile, scraping the orange substance off Ash's chin and putting it back in his mouth. Night reaches out to get his father's attention, calling out in frustration. "He loves anything and everything."

Sky resorts to feeding Cinder mashed potatoes from her plate, which he loves. Seeing Cinder being fed something different, Night protests. Ash turns away from Shadow and babbles something to his older brother. Night babbles something back. Cinder leans over his high chair table and shouts something at his brother. Sky leans back, confused.

"When did they start doing that?" she asks her husband, lifting an eyebrow.

"Beats me," Shadow replies, reaching for his own food and taking a bite of chicken. He feeds Night a bit of his mashed potatoes, which the baby accepts happily. After Cinder has his fill, Sky moves to help Shadow with Ash, who blinks up at his mother expectantly. Sky plops some more mashed potatoes on her plate and begins feeling it to the boy. He laughs and claps his hands. Sky taps him on the nose.

"I think you're my favorite," Sky teases, feeding him some more. He just giggles in response. "I love my little Ash, huh?" Ash touches her face and smiles some more. "He's the cutest."

"They're identical," Shadow snorts. "They're all cute."

"Actually, biologically speaking, the first zygote can't have split three ways. Ash is different than the other two. He has a mole on his cheek, see?" Sky points to the tell-tale mole, which has darkened as Ash has gotten older. "And, his fur is a tad lighter than Night and Cinder's."

"Really? How can you tell?"

"I'm his mother. I can just tell."

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Leave a review on the way out!

That's all for today! Muffin out!


	3. Chapter 3: Almost Adults

Enjoy!

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"Mom! Where is my sweater?"

"Mom! What are we having for dinner?"

"Mom! I need to go to the music store for strings!"

"Mom! The Wi-Fi quit again!"

Sky massages her temples impatiently, glancing over at her husband, who just shrugs. "Why do they never ask you for anything?" she hisses.

"They know better than that," Shadow chuckles darkly. Sky rolls her eyes at him as one black head pops in to address her.

"Mom, did you hear what I said?" Cinder asks, frowning. He flips his bangs out of his eyes.

"Yes, dear. We're having a vat of macaroni and cheese, sautéed chicken breasts, and broccoli."

"'Kay, mind if Breezy and Lilly stay for dinner?" he continues, lifting his eyebrows.

"Yeah, sure." Sky leans into Shadow, closing her eyes. Night clambers in the room.

"Hey, can I have the code to get my board?" Seeing Sky's confused face, he sighs and crosses his arms. "I _need _to get more guitar strings."

"No, you're grounded. You can wait until tomorrow," Shadow answers sternly. "I'll pick some up on my way home."

"But you don't know which kind to get!" Night whines as Ash pokes his head on the other side of the doorway.

"Mom? The Wi-Fi?"

"Baby, just jiggle the chord," Sky tells him.

"Oh, okay." Ash pops back out, but Night is still glaring at his father.

"Let me just go get them," Night demands, locking his jaw. "It won't take long."

"No, you're grounded. Maybe when you can obey the house rules you can go out and do what you want."

"I was only _five _minutes late. It shouldn't have been a big deal, you know."

"But it was the second time you did it, that's the problem," Shadow growls. "The rules are in place for a reason. And if you can't follow them, then don't live here."

"But, _Dad_…"

"No buts. Go back upstairs." Night huffs and stomps away, snapping something angry at his sister as she walks in.

"It's hanging above the washing machine," Sky tells her as she opens her mouth.

"Thanks."

Sky looks up at her husband and rolls her eyes. "Teenagers…"

"No kidding."

Alyson is fifteen now, and the boys are twelve. Biologically, they are all teenagers, since Mobians age significantly quicker than humans do. Alyson is actually a legal adult, being about eighteen by human standards. The triplets are in school with Sonic and Amy's younger daughter, Lilly. Lilly is the triplets' age, while Breeze, the older, is a bit closer to Alyson's. Also attending school with them is Tails and Cream's two sons, Lucas and Gray, and Knuckles and Rouge's daughter Ruby. They all spend time together, generally. Alyson's friends are Aster, Breeze, and Ryder, who came back to this time after his twelfth birthday. Alyson is actually dating and close to mating with Aster, much to Sky's chagrin. She would rather die than let the spawn of Faith touch her daughter, but it's not like she has a choice. Aster's younger sisters are twins, Grace and Gale, and they are around the triplet's age. However, they aren't living in the same time; they travel with their parents, while Aster made the decision to travel backwards.

The boys are very talented in the arts. Night plays guitar (like Alyson), Ash plays piano, and Cinder plays drums. If they wanted to, they could form a band, but they do not work together very well most of the time. But, when they do, they sound very good, especially if Alyson is singing with them. Sky tries to encourage her children to perform regularly, but they don't want to, with the exceptions of Alyson and Night. The two oldest built their own recording studio and record songs regularly. Ash would rather be holed up in his room. Cinder prefers to flirt and hang around girls from school. Ash is the most reserved of the three, spending hours at a time locked in his room. Night and Cinder are more outspoken and popular among their schoolmates, although Ash automatically gets roped in just by being there.

"Hey, Mom?" Ash's head pops back in. "Dad?"

"Yes, my dear?" Sky sighs, blinking tiredly at her son. Ash looks down to the ground and slips into the room, rubbing his hands together. "Ash?"

"Can I ask you something?" he asks quietly.

"Of course. Come and sit here." Sky gestures towards the chair in front of the couch. Ash sits down and brings his knees up to his chest, much like Sky does when she's in distress. "What's wrong?"

"Why am I… different than my brothers?"

Sky holds in a sigh. They have this conversation at least every three months. Shadow pinches her shoulder meaningfully before leaning forward to address his son. "You're no different than them. You just have different interests."

"But why? They both like going out and partying and stuff. Why am I not like that?"

Sky shrugs. "Because it's not your thing. Your father doesn't like to go out either," she reminds him. "There is nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing wrong with you having separate interests than your brothers."

Ash's ears droop. "But I don't know _why_. We all came from the same womb on the same day.

They generally like the same stuff. Why am I the only one left out?"

"Ash…" Sky looks up as Night pops back in. "What is it?"

Night climbs into her lap like he would do when he was younger and wanted something. "Mommy…?"

Sky frowns at him. "What do you want?" She pushes him off. "You're too big for that."

"Can I _please _have my board back? Pleeeaaase?"

"No…."

"But I love you!" Night nuzzles her cheek and pins his ears back, blinking up at her innocently. "Please, Mom? Just for today?"

"You just want to go see Grace," Ash snaps at his brother. "But that's too bad, because they're in Milan right now."

"No, she's actually in town," Night retorts. He blinks back at his mother. "That's why I _have _to go! Who knows when I'll see her again?" He leans back dramatically. "How could you keep me away?"

"Oh, please." Shadow rolls his eyes.

"No, Shadow, it's okay. But, Night, you are perfectly capable of running. And, take your brother with you."

"But Cinder's busy with Lilly."

"No, I meant Ash." Sky frowns.

"But Ash doesn't want to go…" Night glances at his brother, begging with his eyes.

"Um… yeah…" Ash trails off, looking to the side. Sky sighs as she looks at her son. His brothers don't even want him around. No matter he feels so down all the time. "It's okay, Mom. I'll go back upstairs."

"No, it's fine. You're going with your brother. In fact, all three of you should go together. You never spend any time together."

Night gives an exasperated sigh and rolls his eyes. "_Maybe_ it's because we don't have anything in common."

"You're brothers, that's enough isn't it?" _Honestly! Silver and I aren't even the same sex and we get along better than these three, _Sky thinks, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Fine. But don't blame me if Ash comes home early because he's bored." Night grabs his brother's arm and drags him out of the room, Ash staring helplessly at his parents.

* * *

Ash follows his two brothers with his arms crossed grudgingly. Lilly is walking beside him, trying to strike up a conversation.

"Where are you guys going for summer vacation?" the deep purple hedgehog is asking brightly.

"Um… I'm not really sure yet," Ash replies quietly. "I think we're going to spend time with my aunt and uncles back in Mom's time."

"Oh, that sounds _so _cool. You guys get to use the portal a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, quite a lot, actually," Cinder answers for Ash, wrapping his arm around Lilly's shoulders. "We get to go _all _the time."

"Does it hurt?" Lilly asks with her eyes wide. Ash brushes past the two, not wanting to hear his brother's reply. Of course he would push his own brother out of the way for a girl's attention.

Night glances at him as he walks up to his side. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

Night glances over his shoulder and shakes his head at the youngest triplet's antics. "I wonder who he picked up the womanizing from."

"Definitely not Dad. I don't think I've ever seen him smile, let alone talk to anybody, especially like that," Ash jokes lightly, smiling hopefully.

"Yeah, the stick up his ass goes straight to his head. He could loosen the reigns a little bit."

"Well, you did come back late that time… And, you know that Dad is really strict about curfew."

"But that was, like, two months ago! How long can they ground me?" Night huffs. "I really need those strings. And, we all have to start training for the Air Gear tournament."

"Right, almost forgot that the season is about to start," Ash admits, scratching his arm. "I haven't ridden in so long."

"You don't really like riding, do you?" Night asks.

"What? No, I love riding. You know that. But, I just don't have time."

Night snorts in disbelief. "What could you possibly be doing that is so time-consuming?"

"I work on my screenplays, you know that too." Ash frowns. "That stuff is important to me, more important than music or Gear races." Night and Cinder hardly pay any attention to him, since the three of them are pretty independent.

"I still don't get how you can sit in there for hours, writing. It seems so boring." Night flips his bangs out of his eyes.

"Well, when I'm in Hollywood as one of the most famous screenwriters of all time, then you can talk," Ash snorts, rolling his eyes. "I don't understand how you and Alyson spend hours in the studio recording, but I don't ask you about it."

"And I'll give you the same response you gave me. Music is important to me, just like… girls are important to Cinder." The two hedgehogs glance back at their younger brother, who has his arm wrapped around Lilly's waist tightly and is whispering something in her ear. She giggles and flattens her ears, lightly hitting the black hedgehog. Ash and Night hold back their snickers as they turn back around. Ash sighs.

"So, you and Grace are still going strong, huh? Even over the long distance?"

"Well, yeah. I think she's the One for me." Night blinks up at the sky dreamily. "It's like the difference has only made us stronger." Night wiggles his eyebrows at his brother. "I notice that you're pretty taken with Gale yourself."

Ash blushes, flattening his ears to his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, you know I do." The boys all share Sky and Silver's ability to read each other's minds. The communication only exists between the three siblings.

"I don't know why you didn't think I wouldn't like to come. I actually _like _spending time with you guys," Ash murmurs as they walk up to Aster's tiny, but modest, house.

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it." Night raps on the door. Aster opens it, his gray quills swishing over his shoulders.

"Grace! Gale!" the echidna calls over his shoulder while he stands aside to let the four hedgehogs in. They walk into the living room, to find Alyson and Breeze sitting on the floor.

"How did you guys get here so fast?" Ash asks, frowning.

"We ran?" Breeze snorts, tossing her quills out of her face and revealing her eyebrow piercing. "I don't know why you guys decided to _walk_." Grace and Gale walk in, and Ash is once again surprised by how two sisters, _twins_, are so different. Gale inherited her father's sleek black coat and slim figure, while Grace is as sturdy and has the same dark brown as Faith. But, they both share their father's silver eyes. Ash blushes when Gale smiles at him, shuffling to sit on the chair next to the couch while Night sits on the couch. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash can't help but to admire Gale's slim figure, accented by her tight gray athletic shorts and ribbed blue tank top. Cinder and Lilly disappear into the kitchen.

"What made you guys decide to come here?" Night asks Grace after a long embrace. "We missed you."

Gale seats herself on the arm of Ash's chair. "It was just time to get away from Mom and Dad for a while," she answers quietly. "You know how rough and can get travelling all the time."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Ash mutters, avoiding the black echidna's golden gaze.

Night sits on the couch, Grace positioned on his lap, while Aster takes his place behind Alyson, so she can lean on his legs. Breeze just looks like she's about to throw up.

"I think I'm going to travel with you guys next time you go," Night says dreamily. "Mom and Dad _never _let us travel. And, we're practically adults!"

"Well, since the school year's almost over, they should let you go for the summer," Grace says brightly. "It would be so great if you could." She kisses Night's cheek delicately and smiles against the tan-colored fur. "All three of you should come."

"Yeah, right, like Mom would go for that," Night retorts, coiling his arms around Grace tighter. "Dad can only subdue her for so long before she goes nuts."

"How is the old Ultimate Lifeform, anyway?" Grace asks. "Still as cold and callous as ever?"

"Who, Dad? Oh, he's fine. I think he's ready to get rid of us, though. Especially Aly." Night winks at the triplets' older sister, who sticks out her tongue at him.

"He won't have to worry about that for much longer," the white hedgehog tells him, glancing up at Aster, who smiles back down at her. Aster slides his hand down Alyson's shoulder, taking her hand and holding it there.

"What? Are you two finally going to mate?" Grace asks excitedly, clapping. "That's so awesome! Have you told your parents yet?"

"No, not yet. I'm waiting for the right time. You know how Dad is," Alyson says quietly. She smiles. "But it's not like either of them can do anything about it. I have made up my mind." Ash can just imagine Shadow threatening Aster with a gun at the news of their engagement. Yeah, it would be best to wait.

"I'm so happy for you both," Gale tells the couple with a smile. Ash can't help but to feel a little disappointed. True, he knew that his sister would leave eventually, especially since she's fifteen and has been ready to mate for three years. She and Aster were only holding off for Shadow's sake, since he is so attached to his eldest.

"I'm happy for you too, sis," Ash mumbles with a small smile.

"Are you guys going to have an official wedding?" Grace asks. "I know your parents did, but mine didn't, since it's not really necessary unless you're royalty."

"No, I don't think so," Aster replies. "All that planning would be cumbersome."

Alyson doesn't protest, but Ash can tell that she wants to. The black hedgehog also notices how silent the usually talkative Breeze is being, the pink hedgehog hiding behind her cell phone. She hasn't made a single snide comment about how disgusting Night and Grace's PDA is or anything, which is very unusual. Is she unhappy about Aster and Alyson's decision to mate? It wouldn't make any sense, because they've been together forever.

"Not to mention expensive," Night chips in. "I don't think Mom and Pop would want to put in all that cash for something they never paid for."

"It's for the memory, not necessarily the action," Alyson murmurs. "But I don't think it will happen, if Aster doesn't want it."

Night glances at his watch before looking at Grace. "You ready?" he asks.

"If you are."

"Well, ladies and gents, it's been real, but we got plans," Night says as he stands up. He links his hand with Grace's and pulls her up.

"Where are you guys going?" Ash asks, cocking his head.

"Out." Night's gaze runs down the length of Grace's body.

Ash can see why he's so taken with her; she's beautiful. Both she and Gale are. And those eyes? Don't get him started. Not to mention the appeal of her muscle. But she's not Ash's type. He doesn't want anyone that looks like she could beat him up.

"See you at home, little brother," Alyson says, reaching over to brush the fur on his thigh.

"'Bye, everyone." Night dips his head to Aster before leading Grace out of the house. Grace gives an enthusiastic wave before the door closes.

"How long before those two get it over with?" Breeze snorts into her phone.

Ash raises his eyebrows at her. "You can talk?"

Breeze shoves him and rolls her eyes. "Seriously, though. How long?"

"Could be any day now. You should see her at home. She's always giggling and texting him. It's disgusting," Aster says, pulling on one of Aly's quills.

Alyson laughs. "We were the same way at some point, you know."

"Don't make me shudder."

Ash holds back a snicker. Instead, he glances at Gale, who is also holding back her laughter. When she catches him looking at her, her cream-colored cheeks flush a deep red.

"What about you, Breezy? Have you found anyone that wants to bone you?" Cinder asks from the kitchen doorway. He holds a grilled cheese sandwich in one hand and Lilly in the other. He dodges the throw pillow that Breeze launched in his direction.

"Mating isn't for everyone." Her gaze slides over to look at Aster and Alyson, her are lovingly gazing into each other's eyes. "Maybe some people are meant to be alone."

* * *

Leave a review on your way out! Hope you guys like this story. I've been working on this concept for a really long time.

That's all for today! Muffin out!


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